CHICAGO — Left-handers Jorge De La Rosa and Brett Anderson are the Rockies' two best pitchers, and are scheduled to be their highest-paid pitchers in 2015. Plus, the Rockies have already dropped out of contention.

So it's no coincidence that teams are taking a look at the duo as Thursday's nonwaiver trade deadline approaches. But that doesn't mean the Rockies will trade De La Rosa or Anderson.

At this point, the Rockies are leaning toward keeping De La Rosa, a major-league source said. De La Rosa is a free agent at season's end, so the Rockies would have to make him a $14 million qualifying offer. That move would ensure draft-pick compensation if he were to sign with another team.

The Baltimore Orioles were the first team to enter into discussions about De La Rosa, but when the Rockies made it clear that their main target was prized pitching prospect Kevin Gausman, a former Grandview High School star, the Orioles balked.

There also have been rumors that the New York Yankees are interested in trading for De La Rosa, but the source said there has been no discussion between the Rockies and Yankees.

The Kansas City Royals have called the Rockies regarding Anderson, who's turned in strong performances of late after missing three months with a broken left index finger. He's 1-3 with a 3.24 ERA and fresh off his first victory in a Rockies uniform. Anderson's recent work has all but convinced the club to pick up his $12 million option for next season.

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Tulo talk. Troy Tulowitzki insists there was no covert message in his public appearance Sunday in the Bronx to watch his idol, Derek Jeter, play at Yankee Stadium.

Anderson, however, had some fun with the controversy. Anderson, who often engages in social media, tweeted: "If Derek Jeter said jump ... I apparently know someone that would jump reallllly high."

Anderson later tweeted: "It's funny when people can't take a joke or make light of a situation."

Brett Anderson (Getty Images file)

Monday, before the Rockies met the Cubs at Wrigley Field, Anderson explained his tweets.

"I am not afraid to voice my opinion, and it was sarcastic," he said. "Everybody has a guy that they kind of idolize. If Jim Thome said, 'Jump!' I'd ask, 'How high?' So it was just my sarcastic kind of wit. If anybody follows me on Twitter, they know that they should take it with a grain of salt, for what it is. There was no malice intended."

Even though his best player was watching the Yankees play at the same time as the Rockies took the field, manager Walt Weiss laughed off the incident.

"I don't think Tulo expected it to blow up like it did," Weiss said. "I think it was a pretty innocent situation that got carried away, I guess, because of all of the rumors during the winter about him and the Yankees, and Jeter and all of that stuff. That fueled that fire."

Tulo underwent dry needling Monday in Philadelphia, a type of pressure-point treatment designed to ease pain and tightness.

"It speeds up the recovery," Weiss said, adding that there is no specific timetable for Tulo's return to game action. He's eligible to come off the disabled list in time for the Cubs game at Coors Field on Aug. 5, but he won't be ready by that time. He's more likely to return in mid-August.

Footnotes. First baseman Justin Morneau was scheduled to play a rehab game with Triple-A Colorado Springs on Monday. If all goes well, there is a chance he could rejoin the Rockies for Tuesday's game against the Cubs. ... Lefty reliever Boone Logan was scheduled to make his first rehab appearance for the Sky Sox on Monday. He was placed on the 15-day disabled list July 21 with a case of diverticulitis, an often painful condition of the digestive tract.

He remains a hot commodity on the trade market, but right now, De La Rosa is concentrating on beating the Cubs. That's something he's done with regularity. With the Rockies, he is 3-0 with a 2.25 ERA in six games (five starts) against the Cubs. In his most recent start at Wrigley Field — April 26, 2011 — he notched an impressive win, allowing just two runs (one earned), striking out nine and walking none in seven innings. The lefty is on a roll now, having won five consecutive decisions. In his last start, against the Nationals, he had 11 strikeouts.

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